ROUND 1 - Pairs

1.

Name the great American who was born in Hannibal, Missouri on November 30, 1835, some two weeks after Halley's Comet appeared at its maximum brightness, and who died on April 21, 1910 only one day after the subsequent appearance, thereby fulfilling his own prophesy?

2.

The French writer Guy de Maupassant famously loathed the Eiffel Tower and regularly lunched in which building to avoid seeing the Eiffel Tower on the Paris sky line?

3.

What allegedly wimpish activity is described by the derogatory German word 'sitzpinkler'?

4.

What is the literal translation of the heavy duty French expletive 'putain', sometimes shortened to 'pute'?

5.

What sports organisation, committed to an attractive style of play, was begun at The Alexandra Hotel, Bradford in 1890?

6.

Name the only two African countries to take part in the 2015 Rugby World Cup to be hosted by England.

7.

Who wrote the novels Never Let Me Go and Remains of the Day which were later turned into successful films (in 2010 and 1993 respectively)?

8.

Harper Lee's 1960 classic To Kill A Mockingbird is due to be followed by a sequel/prequel in July 2015.  What is it to be titled?

Sp1

Which school of philosophy was founded in Athens around 300BC by Zeno of Citium?

Sp2

Which philosopher wrote Meditations on First Philosophy, published in 1641?

1.

Jake Shears and Ana Matronic are the vocalists in which group?

2.

What was the nickname of Harold I of England (who reigned between 1035 and 1040) in recognition of his speed and skill as a hunter?

3.

4.

What was the title of Paul Cummins’ and Tom Piper’s installation at the Tower of London to mark the centenary of WW1?

5.

To which family of animals do Meerkats belong?

6.

Which actress starred in the films Intermezzo 1936, Gaslight 1944 and Spellbound 1945?

7.

What was the name of the spin off series from Dr Who which ran from 2007-2011 and starred Elizabeth Sladen in the title role?

8.

“He was born with a gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad” are the opening lines of which novel?  It was made into a film in 1952 and starred Stewart Grainger in the title role.

Sp.

Which actress appeared in the films Never Say Never Again (1983) , Batman (1989) and 8 Mile (2002)?

ROUND 3 - Pairs

1.

Which British actor was awarded a 2015 BAFTA for best actor for his portrayal of scientist Stephen Hawking in the film The Theory of Everything?

2.

Which American actress was awarded a 2015 BAFTA for best actress for her portrayal of professor Alice Howland in the film Still Alice?

3.

Which American president sent the explorers Lewis and Clark on their expedition to to investigate and map the then unknown western part of the United States?

4.

In the name of which Spanish monarch did Herman Cortez claim the conquered Aztec empire for Spain?

5.

In the book of Genesis, God commanded Abraham to go to the land of Moriah.  For what purpose?

6.

In the first Book of Chronicles who commanded Solomon to build a house to the Lord?

7.

An American lady by the name of Virginia Roberts recently caused quite a stir in quite high British places.  What was the cause of the stir?

8.

In the light of certain allegations about his past sex life, what rather ironically named title did the Queen recently award her second son?

Sp.

Bertha Antoinetta Mason was an important character in 2 important novels, one in the 19th century, one in the 20th.  Name either.

ROUND 4 - Pot luck

1.

Along with Czar Nicholas II of Russia, which other European monarch was forced to abdicate in 1917?

2.

Which word connects: John Lennon, Radiohead and Culture Club?

3.

Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé wines are made from which grape?

4.

'Heimdallr' in Norse mythology is the guardian of the bridge into Asgard.  Who played him in the action films Thor and Thor, the Dark World?

5.

Which three words with the same endings have the following meanings:

To reduce in intensity /lessen,

A variegated chalcedony,

To combine or merge?

6.

The name of the goddess of the sea in Inuit mythology is also the name of one of the recently discovered dwarf planets.  Which one?

7.

The Ouzel is an archaic name for which common garden bird?

8.

What was the aim of Operation Anadyr in 1962?

Sp.

Which actor was Hong Kong cha cha champion in 1958?

ROUND 5 - Pairs

1.

Name the 1979 British heist film directed by Ralph Thomas, written by Guy Elmes and starring Richard Jordan, Oliver Tobias, and David Niven which took its title from a 1939 romantic song.

2.

Where specifically did Dante locate Limbo in his poem The Divine Comedy?

3.

Name the Quaker and Liberal politician born in Rochdale in 1811 who served as President of the Board of Trade and as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and was prominent in the abolition of the Corn Laws.  His statue stands in Albert Square, Manchester.

4.

Where in Manchester would you find the boulder-like Ishinki Touchstone, carved in 1996 by Kan Yasuda?

5.

What first did Angela Berners-Wilson achieve on 12th March 1994?

6.

Which famous first in Television Advertising is held by Bird's Eye Frozen Peas?

7.

What is unique about the Lake of Menteith on the Carse of Stirling in Scotland?

8.

More celebrated now than during his life, which designer and artist was born in Glasgow in 1868 and died in London in 1928?  His flower paintings are quoted as an inspiration for the Scottish Parliament.

Sp1

At the time of writing, who could be regarded as England's most successful Test Cricket bowler, achieving more 5 wicket innings than any other (27 in total)?

Sp2

Who is Australia's highest scoring Test Cricket batsman?

ROUND 6 - Pairs

1.

Which famous philosopher once said: "We make war that we may live in peace"?

2.

Which general and military theorist declared that "war is a mere continuation of politics by other means"?

3.

Who is missing from this list: Mark Labett, Shaun Wallace, Paul Sinha and ...........?

4.

Who is missing from this list: Kevin Ashman, Chris Hughes, CJ De Mooi, Judith Keppel, Barry Simmons, Pat Gibson, Dave Rainford and ...........?

5.

Which actor plays the part of Cardinal Wolsey in BBC2's adaptation of Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall?

6.

In the current BBC 2 adaptation of Wolf Hall which actor plays the part of Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester?

7.

Which former world number one tennis player recently announced that his last tournament would be at the 2016 Australian Open?

8.

Rising young tennis stars, Nick Kyrgios (who played Andy Murray in the quarter-finals of the recent Australian Open) and his compatriot, Thanasi Kokkinakis, both represent which country?

Sp.

Margaret and Mabel are two TV characters who are used in adverts for which brand of frozen food products?

ROUNDS 7 & 8 - Bingo Blockbuster Rounds

1.

PMT

Prior to privatisation in 1986 the full name of the bus company that operated from Adderley Green in Staffordshire.

2.

TDS

What Thomas Carlyle called Economics.

3.

S

Word for a short digging implement that was introduced into America by Dutch settlers.  Its meaning eventually got transferred and it is now an informal word for the object it was used to dig up.

4.

P

Kurdish word meaning 'one who confronts death'.  It is the name of the Iraqi Kurdish military units currently engaged in a struggle for survival against Islamic State forces.

5.

T

With respect to this, it was announced in 2013 that scientific testing had proved conclusively that pyramidal is better than circular.

6.

B

Along with York and Hull one of the three cities mentioned in the first sentence of Defoe's Robinson Crusoe.

7.

LS

Colombian born football coach who managed Ecuador in the 2006 World Cup tournament and Honduras in 2014.

8.

VG

Publisher who set up the Left Book Club in the 1930s and who was the first to publish both George Orwell and John Le Carré.

9.

L

A 'Loveliness' is the collective name for a group of them.

10.

TC

In 1996 he broke the record for a transfer move between the Manchester clubs but subsequently never played a first team game for his new club Manchester United.                 

11.

MT

Chicago born singer who once had Thora Hird as his mother-in-law.

12.

C

The only English town to have a port, a garrison and a university.  This may or may not contribute to the fact that it also has the highest rate of venereal disease in England.

13.

DTP

Title of a famous Punch cartoon about the folly of Kaiser Wilhelm's decision to dispense with the services of Bismarck.

14.

A

Ancient Egyptians used it for burial cloths; the Greeks found it made good lamp wicks; the Romans used it for napkins which they would throw into the fire to clean.  What is it?

15.

MG

American journalist, travel writer and novelist who was once married to Ernest Hemingway whose style of lovemaking she memorably described as “Wham bam, thank you mam, but without the thank you”.

16.

PB

Original name for Jelly Babies when they were launched by Bassetts in 1918.

17.

NB

When he won a Nobel Prize in 1922 Carlsberg gave him a house next to their brewery with a pipeline of free beer for life.

18.

E

In 2002 he became the first non-human to testify before the United States of America Congress.

19.

JWIBL

Top 10 hit for Haysi Fantayzee in 1982.  It was a frothy little ditty with a pert attitude towards sexual politics.  BBC censors seemed blissfully unaware that it told the story of a legendary Hollywood star trying to persuade a North American Indian squaw to have anal sex with him on the grounds that his bandolier of bullets might cause her discomfort if he raped her in the missionary position.  She rebuffs him with the line: “If that's how it's going to be, just get out of my tepee”.

20.

OTI

Phrase used specifically after the names of clan chiefs in Scotland to mean that they come from an estate or place of the same name as their family name.

ROUND 1 - Pairs

1.

Name the great American who was born in Hannibal, Missouri on November 30, 1835, some two weeks after Halley's Comet appeared at its maximum brightness, and who died on April 21, 1910 only one day after the subsequent appearance, thereby fulfilling his own prophesy?

Mark Twain

(Samuel Langhorne Clemens)

2.

The French writer Guy de Maupassant famously loathed the Eiffel Tower and regularly lunched in which building to avoid seeing the Eiffel Tower on the Paris sky line?

The restaurant in the Eiffel Tower

3.

What allegedly wimpish activity is described by the derogatory German word 'sitzpinkler'?

A man urinating sitting down

4.

What is the literal translation of the heavy duty French expletive 'putain', sometimes shortened to 'pute'?

Whore

5.

What sports organisation, committed to an attractive style of play, was begun at The Alexandra Hotel, Bradford in 1890?

The Barbarians

(Rugby Union Club)

6.

Name the only two African countries to take part in the 2015 Rugby World Cup to be hosted by England.

South Africa and Namibia

7.

Who wrote the novels Never Let Me Go and Remains of the Day which were later turned into successful films (in 2010 and 1993 respectively)?

Kasuo Ishiguro

8.

Harper Lee's 1960 classic To Kill A Mockingbird is due to be followed by a sequel/prequel in July 2015.  What is it to be titled?

Go Set a Watchman

Sp1

Which school of philosophy was founded in Athens around 300BC by Zeno of Citium?

The Stoics

Sp2

Which philosopher wrote Meditations on First Philosophy, published in 1641?

Rene Descartes

1.

Jake Shears and Ana Matronic are the vocalists in which group?

Scissors Sisters

2.

What was the nickname of Harold I of England (who reigned between 1035 and 1040) in recognition of his speed and skill as a hunter?

Harefoot

3.

Cataract,

tract,

redact

4.

What was the title of Paul Cummins’ and Tom Piper’s installation at the Tower of London to mark the centenary of WW1?

Blood swept lands and seas of red

(QM: allow some discretion)

5.

To which family of animals do Meerkats belong?

Mongoose

6.

Which actress starred in the films Intermezzo 1936, Gaslight 1944 and Spellbound 1945?

Ingrid Bergman

7.

What was the name of the spin off series from Dr Who which ran from 2007-2011 and starred Elizabeth Sladen in the title role?

The Sarah Jane Adventures

8.

“He was born with a gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad” are the opening lines of which novel?  It was made into a film in 1952 and starred Stewart Grainger in the title role.

Scaramouche

Sp.

Which actress appeared in the films Never Say Never Again (1983) , Batman (1989) and 8 Mile (2002)?

Kim Basinger

ROUND 3 - Pairs

1.

Which British actor was awarded a 2015 BAFTA for best actor for his portrayal of scientist Stephen Hawking in the film The Theory of Everything?

Eddie Redmayne

2.

Which American actress was awarded a 2015 BAFTA for best actress for her portrayal of professor Alice Howland in the film Still Alice?

Julianne Moore

3.

Which American president sent the explorers Lewis and Clark on their expedition to to investigate and map the then unknown western part of the United States?

Thomas Jefferson

4.

In the name of which Spanish monarch did Herman Cortez claim the conquered Aztec empire for Spain?

Charles I

(or Emperor Charles V as he is also known)

5.

In the book of Genesis, God commanded Abraham to go to the land of Moriah.  For what purpose?

To sacrifice his only son, Isaac

6.

In the first Book of Chronicles who commanded Solomon to build a house to the Lord?

King David

(his father)

7.

An American lady by the name of Virginia Roberts recently caused quite a stir in quite high British places.  What was the cause of the stir?

She alleged that she once had sexual relations with the Duke of York while she was under the legal age limit

8.

In the light of certain allegations about his past sex life, what rather ironically named title did the Queen recently award her second son?

She made him a Vice-Admiral

(I kid you not!)

Sp.

Bertha Antoinetta Mason was an important character in 2 important novels, one in the 19th century, one in the 20th.  Name either.

(either)

Jane Eyre

(by Charlotte Bronte)

(or)

Wide Sargasso Sea

(by Jean Rhys)

(She was the deranged first wife of Edward Rochester)

ROUND 4 - Pot luck

1.

Along with Czar Nicholas II of Russia, which other European monarch was forced to abdicate in 1917?

Constantine I of Greece

2.

Which word connects: John Lennon, Radiohead and Culture Club?

Karma

(instant, police and chameleon)

3.

Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé wines are made from which grape?

Sauvignon Blanc

4.

'Heimdallr' in Norse mythology is the guardian of the bridge into Asgard.  Who played him in the action films Thor and Thor, the Dark World?

Idris Elba

5.

Which three words with the same endings have the following meanings:

To reduce in intensity /lessen,

A variegated chalcedony,

To combine or merge?

Abate,

agate,

amalgamate

6.

The name of the goddess of the sea in Inuit mythology is also the name of one of the recently discovered dwarf planets.  Which one?

Sedna

7.

The Ouzel is an archaic name for which common garden bird?

Blackbird

8.

What was the aim of Operation Anadyr in 1962?

The deployment of ballistic missiles into Cuba by the Soviet Union

(to prevent an invasion by the USA)

Sp.

Which actor was Hong Kong cha cha champion in 1958?

Bruce Lee

ROUND 5 - Pairs

1.

Name the 1979 British heist film directed by Ralph Thomas, written by Guy Elmes and starring Richard Jordan, Oliver Tobias, and David Niven which took its title from a 1939 romantic song.

A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square

2.

Where specifically did Dante locate Limbo in his poem The Divine Comedy?

The first circle of Hell

3.

Name the Quaker and Liberal politician born in Rochdale in 1811 who served as President of the Board of Trade and as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and was prominent in the abolition of the Corn Laws.  His statue stands in Albert Square, Manchester.

John Bright

4.

Where in Manchester would you find the boulder-like Ishinki Touchstone, carved in 1996 by Kan Yasuda?

Outside the Bridgewater Hall

(Barbirolli Square)

5.

What first did Angela Berners-Wilson achieve on 12th March 1994?

First female priest ordained to the Church of England

(others were ordained at the same time but she was alphabetically first on the list)

6.

Which famous first in Television Advertising is held by Bird's Eye Frozen Peas?

The first product advertised in the UK in colour

7.

What is unique about the Lake of Menteith on the Carse of Stirling in Scotland?

It is the only natural body of freshwater in Scotland known as a 'lake' rather than a 'loch'

8.

More celebrated now than during his life, which designer and artist was born in Glasgow in 1868 and died in London in 1928?  His flower paintings are quoted as an inspiration for the Scottish Parliament.

Charles Rennie Mackintosh

Sp1

At the time of writing, who could be regarded as England's most successful Test Cricket bowler, achieving more 5 wicket innings than any other (27 in total)?

Ian Botham

(he also has the highest number of wickets to date - 383)

Sp2

Who is Australia's highest scoring Test Cricket batsman?

Ricky Ponting

(13,378 runs)

ROUND 6 - Pairs

1.

Which famous philosopher once said: "We make war that we may live in peace"?

Aristotle

2.

Which general and military theorist declared that "war is a mere continuation of politics by other means"?

Carl von Clausewitz

(surname will suffice)

3.

Who is missing from this list: Mark Labett, Shaun Wallace, Paul Sinha and ...........?

Anne Hegarty

(they are the 4 chasers on ITV quiz show, The Chase - Anne has made past appearances in WithQuiz)

4.

Who is missing from this list: Kevin Ashman, Chris Hughes, CJ De Mooi, Judith Keppel, Barry Simmons, Pat Gibson, Dave Rainford and ...........?

Lisa Thiel

(the latest female recruit to BBC 2's team of Eggheads - Dave, of course is a veteran WithQuizzer)

5.

Which actor plays the part of Cardinal Wolsey in BBC2's adaptation of Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall?

Jonathan Pryce

6.

In the current BBC 2 adaptation of Wolf Hall which actor plays the part of Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester?

Mark Gatiss

7.

Which former world number one tennis player recently announced that his last tournament would be at the 2016 Australian Open?

Lleyton Hewitt

8.

Rising young tennis stars, Nick Kyrgios (who played Andy Murray in the quarter-finals of the recent Australian Open) and his compatriot, Thanasi Kokkinakis, both represent which country?

Australia

Sp.

Margaret and Mabel are two TV characters who are used in adverts for which brand of frozen food products?

Aunt Bessie's

ROUNDS 7 & 8 - Bingo Blockbuster Rounds

1.

PMT

Prior to privatisation in 1986 the full name of the bus company that operated from Adderley Green in Staffordshire.

Potteries Motor Transport

(Note: correct answer later established to be 'Potteries Motor Traction')

2.

TDS

What Thomas Carlyle called Economics.

"The Dismal Science"

3.

S

Word for a short digging implement that was introduced into America by Dutch settlers.  Its meaning eventually got transferred and it is now an informal word for the object it was used to dig up.

Spud

4.

P

Kurdish word meaning 'one who confronts death'.  It is the name of the Iraqi Kurdish military units currently engaged in a struggle for survival against Islamic State forces.

Peshmerga

5.

T

With respect to this, it was announced in 2013 that scientific testing had proved conclusively that pyramidal is better than circular.

Teabag

6.

B

Along with York and Hull one of the three cities mentioned in the first sentence of Defoe's Robinson Crusoe.

Bremen

7.

LS

Colombian born football coach who managed Ecuador in the 2006 World Cup tournament and Honduras in 2014.

Luis Suarez

(the non- biting one)

8.

VG

Publisher who set up the Left Book Club in the 1930s and who was the first to publish both George Orwell and John Le Carré.

Victor Gollancz

9.

L

A 'Loveliness' is the collective name for a group of them.

Ladybirds

10.

TC

In 1996 he broke the record for a transfer move between the Manchester clubs but subsequently never played a first team game for his new club Manchester United.                 

Tony Coton

11.

MT

Chicago born singer who once had Thora Hird as his mother-in-law.

Mel Tormé

12.

C

The only English town to have a port, a garrison and a university.  This may or may not contribute to the fact that it also has the highest rate of venereal disease in England.

Colchester

13.

DTP

Title of a famous Punch cartoon about the folly of Kaiser Wilhelm's decision to dispense with the services of Bismarck.

Dropping the Pilot

14.

A

Ancient Egyptians used it for burial cloths; the Greeks found it made good lamp wicks; the Romans used it for napkins which they would throw into the fire to clean.  What is it?

Asbestos

15.

MG

American journalist, travel writer and novelist who was once married to Ernest Hemingway whose style of lovemaking she memorably described as “Wham bam, thank you mam, but without the thank you”.

Martha Gellhorn

16.

PB

Original name for Jelly Babies when they were launched by Bassetts in 1918.

Peace Babies

17.

NB

When he won a Nobel Prize in 1922 Carlsberg gave him a house next to their brewery with a pipeline of free beer for life.

Niels Bohr

18.

E

In 2002 he became the first non-human to testify before the United States of America Congress.

Elmo

(the Sesame Street veteran was called to lend support to a motion calling for extra funds to be given for musical education)

19.

JWIBL

Top 10 hit for Haysi Fantayzee in 1982.  It was a frothy little ditty with a pert attitude towards sexual politics.  BBC censors seemed blissfully unaware that it told the story of a legendary Hollywood star trying to persuade a North American Indian squaw to have anal sex with him on the grounds that his bandolier of bullets might cause her discomfort if he raped her in the missionary position.  She rebuffs him with the line: “If that's how it's going to be, just get out of my tepee”.

John Wayne Is Big Leggy

20.

OTI

Phrase used specifically after the names of clan chiefs in Scotland to mean that they come from an estate or place of the same name as their family name.

'Of That Ilk'